One hundred and thirty-five workers were killed in work-related incidents in the UK from April 2022-March 2023, according to recent figures published by the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
The three most common causes of fatal injuries were falls from height (40), being struck by a moving object (29), and being struck by a moving vehicle (20), between them accounting for two thirds of fatal injuries to workers in this period.
The industries with the highest deaths were construction (45), agriculture, forestry, and fishing (21), manufacturing (15), and transportation and storage (15). Agriculture, forestry, and fishing has the highest rate of fatal injury per 100,000 workers of all the main industrial sectors, followed by waste and recycling.
The total of 135 worker deaths in 2022/23 is higher than the previous year (123) but is in line with pre-pandemic levels. The figure for 2020/21 was 145.
In the UK, there has been a long-term downward trend in the rate of fatal injuries to workers, though in the years prior to the coronavirus pandemic the rate was broadly flat.
HSE’s chief executive, Sarah Albon, said, “Any loss of life in the workplace is a tragedy. While these figures show Great Britain is one of the safest countries in the world to work, safety must continue to be at the top of everyone’s agenda.
“Our mission is to protect people and places and we remain committed to maintaining safe workplaces and holding employers to account for their actions.”
Ruth Wilkinson, head of Policy at IOSH, said, “This data is a sobering reminder of the consequences of health and safety failures and that our efforts to prevent occupational accidents, incidents, ill health and diseases must not stop.
“We can see where the main hazards and risks lie – people working in construction, working at height, workers aged 60 or over. But, with good health and safety, these risks can be prevented and managed.
“We must ensure that root causes are identified, and action taken to prevent recurrence and, importantly, we must ensure lessons are learned from each one of these tragedies. It is time for the Government, policymakers, and businesses to recognise the importance of good health and safety. They need to take action to prevent harm, implement holistic prevention strategy approaches and ensure that all work is safe and healthy.”
The predominance of falls from height as the leading cause of workplace fatalities reflects the global trend. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), falls from height account for 20% of all fatal accidents worldwide. In Dubai, falls from height account for 35% of accidents and 38% of fatalities, according to Dubai Municipality.
